Why You Need an IT Assessment at the End of the Year

When you want to make sure your car is running well and will continue to do so in the future, you take it to an auto shop for a performance check. An information technology audit is a lot like that. IT audits and assessments tell you about the health of your IT infrastructure and what can be done to optimize it. As you prepare your company for next year, don’t forget to perform your own IT assessment.

The Benefits of an IT Assessment

An IT assessment is when analysts evaluate your IT infrastructure to identify strengths and weaknesses. This process also finds opportunities to boost efficiency, productivity, and profitability. While you can perform an assessment on your own, it’s best to have an unbiased and expert eye.

A managed services provider (MSP) is less likely to overlook issues in your network than an internal employee. An outsourced technician can also offer advice on how to build an IT strategy for the future. Here are a few other benefits that come with outsourcing your IT audit:

Establish a Baseline

Without the right information, it’s nearly impossible to know if your infrastructure has improved. One IT audit objective is to establish a baseline of performance that you can use as a standard. If the performance of your network drops below the baseline you set, then you know there’s an issue that needs to be resolved.

Spot Vulnerabilities

Arguably, the most important benefit of an IT assessment is enhanced security. Your MSP identifies security gaps in your systems while your network is analyzed. When you know about your organization’s vulnerabilities, you can take measures to counteract them. An MSP can also provide recommendations for how to close those gaps.

Understand Your Infrastructure

Do you know about every piece of technology that makes up your IT infrastructure? If not, you’re not alone—plenty of business owners are unaware of what’s included in their IT. However, the more you understand the makeup of your infrastructure, the easier it is to improve it. With the help of an MSP, you can get more clarity about your network, allowing for better management. Even small changes to your infrastructure can lead to higher performance and greater cost effectiveness.

Better Budgeting

Building budgets for the coming year is necessary for any business. However, budgeting for IT can be difficult if you don’t have the information you need. The details in your technology assessment checklist can help you justify short- and long-term expense planning. It can also help you plan out expenses for security requirements.

Records of Due Diligence

Imagine your business is hit by a cyberattack. The security of your network is only the beginning of your troubles. It’s likely that your organization will face legal problems as well. In a situation like this, it pays to have proof that you did your due diligence to protect your company’s and your customer’s information. An assessment provides documentation you can share with insurance companies, government regulators, and business partners that proves you did your job.

Employee Education

Improving security is a big part of an IT assessment. Not only does it allow you to implement security technology, but it also provides information that can boost employee cybersecurity awareness. This is especially important given that human error is a company’s number one vulnerability.

Improved Communication

More often than not, an IT audit involves many people from across the organization. This opens the door for communication between departments about cybersecurity and its importance. The more your employees maintain a conversation about best practices, the more effective communication becomes.

Get a Comprehensive IT Audit From Americom

Americom is the leading provider of IT solutions and print services in St. Louis. Schedule your IT assessment today to gain peace of mind about your infrastructure. Our audits are thorough enough to find even the smallest vulnerabilities, and we’ve helped many clients improve their networks after uncovering significant flaws in their cybersecurity strategies.